Murder accused started relationship with his mentor, court told

A PROBATION officer was "shocked and disappointed" when told one of the men accused of murdering a Southampton dad started a relationship with his mentor, a court heard.

Terry Wilson was appointed as probation officer for Pierre Lewis after he was released from prison on licence in 2012.

Giving evidence at the Jahmel Jones murder trial at Winchester Crown Court, Mr Wilson, a probation officer for the London Probation Trust, said Lewis disclosed he was having a relationship with Rachel Kenehan, who acted as his support mentor while he was in Portland prison and upon his release.

Lewis, 20, is charged with murdering Jahmel Jones, pictured below, at a flat in St Mary Street, Southampton, in April last year, along with Jemmikai Orlebar-Forbes and Isaac Boateng.

All deny murder.

Kenehan, 35, is charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs, assisting an offender, and perverting the course of justice.

Mr Wilson said Lewis informed him of his relationship with Kenehan during an arranged meeting in January last year.

He said: "I was shocked and disappointed.

"She is a mentor and carrying out an important professional function in terms of supervision.

"She was viewed as an important part of the support system and that compromised that."

The court heard how Mr Wilson phoned Kenehan that day to discuss the relationship and arranged a meeting to be held between her and her manager.

At the meeting, Mr Wilson said he asked Kenehan how long the relationship had been going for, to which she replied: "A while."

He said: "She said she had not been a mentor for some time but she had not told me."